The present invention relates to a tubular fabric having an open part splitting a part of knitwear vertically, such as a cardigan and a vest having an open part, or a slashed tubular fabric with its marginal parts around the slit overlapped with one part under the other, and to a knitting method thereof.
The applicant has proposed a basic knitting technique on a seamless knit in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 3(1991)-75656. The proposed knitting technique uses a so-called two-bed flat knitting machine comprising front and back needle beds arranged to be opposite to each other, for knitting a knitted fabric into a tubular form with alternate needles of front and back needle beds, for example, using odd needles for a front fabric part and even needles for a back fabric part. When the front fabric part is knitted, the back fabric part is engaged with needles of the back needle bed, while on the other hand, when the back fabric part is knitted, the front fabric part is engaged with needles of the front needle bed, whereby empty needles available to receive and transfer loops of each fabric part are always reserved on the opposite needle bed to knit the front and back fabric parts in the state of being overlapped with one fabric part under the other fabric part. As a result of this, several structure patterns in which front stitches and back stitches are mixed, such as links, purl stitches, and ribs, can be knitted in a tubular form. Also, the use of the empty needles enables the knitted fabric to be moved transversely so as be joined to an adjacent knitted fabric.
A four-bed flat knitting machine further comprising another pair of front and back needle beds can also be used. In this case, front fabric parts of e.g. sleeves and a body, can be knitted with needles of a lower front needle bed and an upper back needle bed, and also back fabric parts thereof can be knitted with needles of a lower back needle bed and an upper front needle bed. Accordingly, when the four-bed flat knitting machine is used, the need to allot the front fabric part to the odd needles and the back fabric part to the even needles, as is required in the two-bed knitting machine, can be eliminated. These knitting techniques can allow producing knitwear in the form of a nearly completed product on the flat knitting machine, and as such can eliminate or simplify the sewing process.
When a vest is knitted seamlessly, front and back bodies of the vest are knitted starting at hems toward a shoulder, while armholes and a neckline opening are formed therebetween. The front and back bodies are joined together at the shoulder and bound off. Similarly, when knitwear with sleeves, including T-sleeve, Set-in sleeve, and Raglan sleeve, is knitted, its body and two sleeves are simultaneously knitted in a tubular form until before armholes and then are joined together from armholes to the shoulder and, then, front and back parts of the body are joined together at the shoulder. These knitwear knitting methods are disclosed by Japanese Laid-open (Unexamined) Patent Publications No. Hei 2(1990)-91254, Hei 2(1990)-229248, Hei 4(1990)-209855, and Hei 4(1992)-153346.
When knitwear, such as a cardigan and a vest with a front open, is knitted, right and left marginal parts extending along the front open, where a placket is usually laid to form button holes and button, must be formed to be overlapped with each other, with one side under the other side, when wearing.
The front body and the back body can be knitted in an overlapped state (double-layer in section) by using alternate needles in the two-bed flat knitting machine for knit, as mentioned above. A multilayer (e.g. a triple-layer and a four-layer) knitted fabric can also be knitted by using every N-number needles such as three needles and every four needles. For example, when a triple-layer knitted fabric in section with its marginal parts overlapped with each other is knitted on the two-bed flat knitting machine, the marginal parts 121, 122 of the front open 102 are knitted, for example, by using every four needles, as shown in FIG. 19. In the drawing, reference numeral 105r, 105l denote a right front body and a left front body, respectively, and 107 denotes a back body.
However, when the marginal parts 121, 122 are knitted in that manner, distance between one needle and another used to form loops of the marginal parts is increased, resulting in loose loops of the marginal parts and thus inferior texture of the marginal parts. To avoid this problem, the knitted fabric with the open part is commonly knitted in the manner that only the marginal parts are knitted separately from the body parts and then joined to the body parts by sewing in a sewing process. This knitting method is applicable to all types of fabrics with the open part, including the vest or cardigan with the front open, as mentioned above, and a slashed tubular fabric with its marginal parts extending along the slit or open part and overlapped with each other.
It is an object of the present invention that when a knitwear having an open part, such as a slit, formed in a part of fabric knitted in a tubular form and a marginal part(s) extending along the open part, such as a vest or a cardigan, is knitted seamlessly, loops of the marginal part(s) extending along the open part are prevented from being loosened to provide improved texture.
In order to solve the problems mentioned above, the present invention provides a method for knitting a knitted fabric comprising a front fabric part, a back fabric part, an open part, and right and left marginal parts extending along the open part by using a flat knitting machine comprising at least a pair of front and back needle beds, each of which has a large number of needles and at least either of which can be racked laterally to receive and transfer loop between the needle beds, wherein the knitted fabric is knitted in the state in which the front fabric part and the back fabric part are joined to each other at lateral ends of the fabric with respect to knitting width and either of the front fabric part and the back fabric part is split into right and left parts at some midpoint of the knitting width; so that the open part is formed to extend vertically from the splitting place and also the right and left marginal parts comprising an adequate number of wales extending along the open part are arranged in two layers to overlap each other when wearing, the method comprising:
(a) the step of performing a course knitting repeatedly in the state in which the number of wales of at least one of the right and left split parts of one fabric part having the open part formed at a lateral end thereof with respect to knitting width, which is determined in dependence with the number of wales of the marginal part continuous to the fabric part retained and knitted on the opposite needle bed, are previously sent round to the other fabric part retained and knitted on an opposite needle bed, in order that the one fabric part is retained on one needle bed and knitted in the state in which the right and left marginal parts are arranged in line with each other,
(b) the step of widening the open part by providing a narrowing knitting to the one fabric part having the open part formed therein, and
(c) the step of moving the wales as were previously sent round to the opposite needle bed in the step (a) to an outside of the one fabric part having the open part formed therein.
It is preferable that in the step (b), the opening is widened by moving the right and left marginal parts in a direction in which the right and left marginal parts are moved away from each other, so that the number of empty needles existing between the right and left marginal parts as were arranged in line with each other and knitted in parallel is increased, and the step (c) is taken in continuation to the step (b), such that while the wales as were sent round to the opposite needle bed are racked one stitch by one stitch, the wales are moved to an outside of the one fabric part having the open part formed therein and also re-arrangement of loop for a next course knitting is performed by loop transfer.
It is preferable that the step (b) and the step (c) are repeatedly performed and wherein in the step (b), the open part is widened by keeping the marginal parts stationary and moving the right and left fabric parts adjacent to the fabric part retained on the one needle bed close to each other and then the wales as were sent round to the opposite needle bed are moved to the empty needles formed by widening the open part.
Also, it is preferable that said knitting is provided to both of the right and left fabric parts of the one fabric part having the open part formed therein.
Alternatively, said knitting may be provided to either of the right and left fabric parts of the one fabric part having the open part formed therein.
It is preferable that loops of the wales to be moved in the step (c) are formed by feeding yarn in a direction in which twist in the loops caused by loop transfer is released, in order to prevent occurrence of twisted loops of the wales.
The present invention provides another method for knitting a knitted fabric comprising a front fabric part, a back fabric part, an open part, and right and left marginal parts extending along the open part by using a flat knitting machine comprising at least a pair of front and back needle beds, each of which has a large number of needles and at least either of which can be racked laterally to receive and transfer loop between the needle beds, wherein the knitted fabric is knitted in the state in which the front fabric part and the back fabric part are joined to each other at lateral ends of the fabric with respect to knitting width and either of the front fabric part and the back fabric part is split into right and left parts at some midpoint of the knitting width, so that the open part is formed to extend vertically from the splitting place and also the right and left marginal parts comprising an adequate number of wales extending along the open part are arranged in two layers to overlap each other at knit-up positions thereof, the method comprising:
(a) the step of performing a course knitting in the state in which the number of wales of at least one of the right and left split parts of one fabric part having the open part formed at a lateral end thereof with respect to knitting width, which is determined in dependence on the number of wales of the marginal part continuous to the fabric part retained and knitted on the opposite needle bed, are previously sent round to the other fabric part retained and knitted on an opposite needle bed, in order that the one fabric part is retained on one needle bed and knitted in the state in which the right and left marginal parts are arranged in line with each other,
(b) the step of moving the wales to an outside of the one fabric part having the open part formed therein, while the wales as were previously sent round to the opposite needle bed in the step (a) are racked one stitch by one stitch,
(c) the step of moving the one fabric part toward the right and left marginal parts to overlap each other by loop transfer and also performing re-arrangement of loop for a next course knitting by the loop transfer, and
(d) the step of connecting together the front fabric part and the back fabric part at lateral ends thereof with respect to knitting width after the step (c) and then knitting courses to form an entire knitted fabric into a completely tubular body.
Also, the present invention provides a knitted fabric produced by any one of the methods mentioned above.
According to one aspect of the present invention, when knitwear such as a cardigan and a vest is knitted as a knitted fabric, the knitwear is knitted seamlessly so that the front and back bodies are joined together at lateral ends thereof with respect to knitting width and the vertically extending open part is formed in the front body. According to the present invention, as a substitute for the knitting method wherein the right and left marginal parts are knitted in an overlapping relation on the needle beds so that when wearing, the right and left marginal parts formed along the open part are arranged in two layers to overlap each other, the marginal parts are knitted in the state of being arranged side by side. Although the knitting width of the front body becomes larger than that of the back body on the needle bed by knitting the marginal parts in the state of being arranged in line, since the knitting is performed in the state in which an adequate number of wales of the front body at either or both of right and left side ends thereof are sent round to the back body, the knitting widths of the front and back fabrics knitted on the front and back needle beds can be made generally equal to each other. This can achieve the course knitting of the front and back bodies.
Then, the open part is widened by providing the narrowing knitting to the fabric having the open part formed therein and also the wales as were sent round to the opposite needle bed are moved to outside of the fabric having the open part formed therein. Specifically, the right and left marginal parts are moved toward their respective front body parts to widen the open part. In the cardigan and vest, this knitting forms a neckline opening of the cardigan/vest. As the open part is widened increasingly, the number of empty needles inserted in between the right and left marginal parts increases. Thereafter, the wales at the lateral end of the front body part as were sent round to the opposite needle bed on which the back body is retained are sent to the front body side, while the wales of the front body part are racked one stitch by one stitch, so that those wales can be arranged in line. At the same time as this knitting or after this knitting, the fabric is transferred so that the knitting widths of the front and back bodies on the needle beds can be uniformed for the next course knitting. At this time the loops are rearranged by using the area in which the inserted empty needles are presented, for transference of the knitted fabric.
Alternatively, the front body parts may be moved toward the right and left marginal parts to narrow their knitting widths. This can also substantially widen the open part. By moving the front body parts toward the marginal parts, the empty needles are formed at the outside of the front body parts including the marginal parts retained on the needle bed. The wales at the lateral end of the front body part as were sent to the opposite needle bed are transferred to the empty needles formed each time when the narrowing knitting is repeatedly performed one stitch by one stitch, whereby the knitting width of the front body and that of the back body are uniformed. The knitting widths of the front and back bodies on the needle beds are uniformed in this manner, for the sequent course knitting.
This knitting enables the marginal parts to be integrally knitted with the body and also enables the marginal parts to have solid texture, as compared with the conventional, so that when wearing, they can overlap each other with one side under the other side.
Also, the loops of the wales at the lateral end of the body are formed by feeding yarn in a direction in which twist in the loops caused by loop transfer is released, in order to prevent occurrence of twisted loops of the wales. By virtue of this, the twist can be removed from the wales when the loop transfer is performed sequentially. The knitted fabric knitted in this manner does not spoil its aesthetic form.
According to another aspect of the present invention, as a substitute for the knitting method wherein a fabric, such as an one-piece skirt, is knitted as a knitted fabric in the state in which the front fabric part and the back fabric part are joined together seamlessly at lateral ends of the fabric with respect to knitting width and the front body is split into right and left parts, so that a slit is formed and also the right and left marginal parts are knitted in an overlapping relation on the needle beds so that the right and left marginal parts extending along the slit can be arranged to overlap each other at knit-up positions thereof, the marginal parts are knitted in the state of being arranged side by side. Although the knitting width of the front body becomes larger than that of the back body on the needle bed by knitting the marginal parts in the state of being arranged in line, since the knitting is performed in the state in which an adequate number of wales of the front body at either or both of right and left side ends thereof are sent round to the back body, the knitting widths of the front and back fabrics knitted on the front and back needle beds can be made generally equal to each other. This can achieve the course knitting of the front and back bodies.
Then, after the slit is formed by performing this knitting, the wales at the lateral end of the front body part as were sent round to the opposite needle bed on which the back body is retained are sent to the front body side, while the wales of the front body part are racked one stitch by one stitch, so that those wales can be arranged in line. At the same time as this knitting or after this knitting, the right and left marginal parts are overlapped each other by loop transfer to knit up the slit and narrow the knitting width. Then, fabric is transferred to re-arrange the loops so that a completed tubular body can be knitted by the sequent course knitting. Thereafter, the sequent course knitting proceeds. This knitting enables the marginal parts to be integrally knitted with the body and also enables the marginal parts to have solid texture, as compared with the conventional, so that when wearing, they can overlap each other with one side under the other side.